FONTANA, Calif. — Danica Patrick isn't discouraged despite her struggles the past three weeks as she muddles through her first full Sprint Cup season.

The season started with so much promise as she became the first woman to sit on the pole for a Cup race — at the Daytona 500. She followed that by placing eighth, the highest finish for a woman in the Great American Race.

But a blown tire resulted in an accident at Phoenix to end her day early, and then she struggled horribly at Las Vegas and Bristol, finishing several laps down in both.

She sits 28th in the standings after four races entering this weekend's Cup event at Auto Club Speedway in California, a place where she has no finish better than 30th in three Nationwide Series starts.

"Every weekend you find there's good and bad to it," Patrick said before practice Friday. "You're going to remember the end of it the most. … You can't let it get you down and you can't be mad.

"I know I have a lot to learn and as a group we have a lot to learn together to figure out where the car is best for me. But we'll get it. I'm not discouraged or afraid at this point for anything."

Team co-owner, Tony Stewart, said the new car — the 2013 versions have different body styles as well as new rules as far as rear suspension and weight distribution — has thrown the entire organization for a loop because it doesn't have a notebook of setups that have worked.

For Patrick, that has been evident. Her team, she believes, has a car that runs decent in practice but fails to improve it during the race weekend while other teams tend to make significant gains.

Her crew realized after last week's Bristol race the car had suspension damage from contact with another car early in the race. That damager likely impacted the team's ability to get her comfortable, and she finished five laps down in 28th.

"We've been closer (to the right setup) unloading than I would have expected but instead of progressing or staying there, we've kind of fallen off throughout the weekend," Patrick said.

"We just need to strike a good balance when it comes to qualifying and the race. Qualifying is the first step — I've been loose every time in qualifying and that puts you in the back and you're already starting off down in the race."

Crew chief Tony Gibson is happy that Patrick, when she's struggling, refrains from taking too many chances with an ill-handling car.

Last year, Patrick appeared much more frustrated on and off the track as she competed in her first full Nationwide Series season in her transition from IndyCar racing. She would lose her patience, try to make the car go where it wouldn't, and found herself in the wall or going backward.

"She takes what the car will give her and not drive over her head and get herself in trouble," Gibson said. "That's probably the biggest thing I'm impressed with compared to last year. I saw her get herself in trouble and get frustrated and put herself in a bad spot.

"This year, she's done a good job of not doing that and just taking what the car will give her and the situation around her and finishing and making laps."

Patience will continue to be the key as Patrick learns tracks, Gibson said. This will be the first weekend she competes in a Cup race at the 2-mile California track.

"She's got to learn and it isn't going to be easy," Gibson said. "It's going to be a process for her just like any other rookie, so she's just got to be patient with herself and it will come."

This week could try Patrick's patience even more as the track is known to be slick.

"For me, I am more comfortable at high-grip tracks," Patrick said. "I don't know that this (track) necessarily fits my style as much. … It's been pretty challenging. But it can change very quickly.

"I can go out there and be comfortable right off the bat and have a good weekend or not."